Covert Affairs

Truce

(Third Person POV)

The hallway was empty aside from the two brothers who stood as far from each other as they could. The energy in the air was that of a standoff, thick with tension, waiting for the other to back down but neither willing to break first.

"I'm going to tell you this one more time. I do not want to speak to you or dad." Tyler grew more frustrated as he spoke to his brother. It wasn't the first time he was having this conversation with his brother, and seeing the lengths he's gone through to follow him here, he knew it wasn't going to be the last.

"I really think we could help you." Jesse replied, taking a step towards Tyler, but Tyler held a hand out in warning. The message to not get any closer was acknowledged and accepted by Jesse. He stopped in his tracks not making another move towards his brother.

"If you haven't noticed, I'm doing just fine without either of you." Tyler spat. "I don't need you. Why can't you see that?"

"What I see is that we have the opportunity to be a family again and-..." Jesse pressed.

"Family? Family! We haven't been a family in years and you fucking know why. I don't want to hear anything come out of your mouth about family." Tyler spat, temper rising more and more as the argument went on.

"You're the only one stopping it and for what Tyler? For her?" Jesse prodded. It was a test. He wanted to know how Tyler would react. To see if he'd get the reaction from Tyler he was seeking. He was pressing all of the right buttons to make his brother explode. He wanted to see how much control Tyler had been able to get over his temper or if all caution was blown to the wind with this new addition to the equation. Tyler's never had a weakness before and Jesse wanted to confirm his speculations before he decided his next move.

"Don't." Tyler warned him. And while this isn't exactly the reaction Jesse was after, he knew exactly what to say now to get his attention. Tyler, on the other hand, decided he wanted nothing more to do with this conversation and turned away to leave.

"You know, I think that Ela would want you to talk to us. To reconcile, in her words not mine." Jesse replied and Tyler stopped dead in his tracks. "And I have a sneaking suspicion that you'd do just about anything for her, isn't that right? Maybe I'll ask her-..." Tyler spun back around and stormed towards his brother.

"You leave her the fuck out of this! Stay away from her, you hear me." Tyler growled. Jesse held his hands up in surrender.

"She brought herself into this, and I can assure you it's not on my behalf." Jesse replied with a slight teasing tone of voice.

"Shut up." Tyler yelled, pushing away from his brother, but remaining within arms length just in case. There wasn't much more that Tyler could say because he knew Jesse was right. He couldn't find an argument to that because he didn't have one. His patience was running thin and it was only a matter of time before Jesse crossed a line and Tyler would have to react. Jesse was trying to reach that line quickly.

"And if she wants to help two brothers reconcile, who am I to stop her?" Jesse shrugged. "Honestly, she seems great, Ty. I see why you two have gotten so close. You two are incredibly similar, I'm sure you don't need me telling you that. Can you blame me for wanting to know the girl who's got my brother all figured out? You know I think she and I could be great friends. God, I bet dad would love her." And with that Tyler slammed Jesse hard against the wall.

"If you so much as think about laying a finger on her I will kill you." Tyler seethed with white hot anger. So much anger he was physically shaking.

"That's a pretty big threat Tyler." Jesse prodded, trying to see just how far he could push Tyler.